1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to awnings of the type usually mounted to the side of a recreational vehicle or a building, and more particularly to a device that aids in maintaining the awning fabric taut and gives added strength to the awning support frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Common in the prior art are retractable awnings that are mountable on recreational vehicles or buildings to protect against the elements, such as sun, rain, etc. Conventional technology provides an awning fabric that is wrapped around an elongated roller tube, which is extendable outward from the mounting surface, e.g. the side of a recreational vehicle, and is usually supported by one or more pairs of brace members. The problem with this arrangement is that the canopy fabric is usually unable to be drawn sufficiently taut. Thus, even on mildly windy days, this condition allows for the loose fabric to produce annoying flapping sounds. Canopies that are not drawn taut also look sloppy and generally unattractive.
Some awnings disclosed in the prior art are supported by only a single pair of braces, which normally extend from the mounting surface and are attached to each end of the roller tube. Understandably, with this arrangement, even the slightest amount of wind can cause the canopy to flip up and the assembly itself, including the individual support braces, to bend or break and, thus, suffer considerable damage in the process.
As stated, a second pair of braces is often used to give added support to the extended canopy. These braces are attached to the mounting surface at a point below the plane of the canopy and extend out at an angle to enable their ultimate connection, respectively, to the opposite ends of the roller tube. Under high wind conditions, such as those experienced in exposed wide open areas like the desert, where winds are capable of exerting a powerful force against the underside of the fabric and literally upending the canopy, even a reinforced canopy with two sets of brace supports can suffer considerable damage. Tie-down devices can also be employed to provide reinforcement of the assembly against such damage. These devices can take several forms, though usually they include a rope, strap or wire connected to each end of the roller tube and are then anchored, respectively, into the ground below. These devices, particularly the clamping or attachment mechanism on the ends, are often a bit too complex in their design and are usually too difficult to assemble and then disassemble when it becomes necessary to quickly roll up the canopy. Under severe weather conditions, even the combination of the two sets of braces and the tie-downs are not sufficient to prevent damage to the canopy and the entire support assembly. In these emergency situations, time is clearly of the essence. The extended canopy must quickly be disconnected from the tie-downs and then rolled up and folded against the side of the structure, e.g. the side of a recreational vehicle, to prevent destruction to the assembly. The concern over the destruction not only relates to the monetary loss resulting therefrom, but also to the potential danger and injury to the occupants of the vehicle or those outside the vehicle from the metal support members and/or the tie-down straps or cables that may be flailing about in the wind and strike someone.
The prior art includes a variety of canopy assemblies used in conjunction with tie-downs. However, as will be shown, neither the assemblies nor the tie-down devices have been successful in either addressing or resolving any of the significant problems described above.
An example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,332 to Turner ("332"), which discloses an awning support assembly mounted on a recreational vehicle, including a fabric canopy wrapped around a support tube. The ends of the two compression members are mounted to the side of the vehicle. The opposite ends of the members are then attached, respectively, to the corresponding end portions of the support tube. A second pair of brace members are used to support the canopy from below. A tie-down device assembled at either end of the support tube is also used and includes, at the top end of the device, a clamp assembly engageable with grooves or channels extending longitudinally along the sides of the support tube. The bottom of the tie-down includes a stake or similar device used to anchor the tie-down to the ground. A similar clamp assembly is attached to each of the outer ends of the compression members and engages the grooves in the same manner as the tie-down clamp assembly. When the tie-down clamps are secured to the grooves, the tie-down strap is then adjusted to achieve a certain degree of tightness and the canopy fabric is drawn taut. Levers operated to extend the compression members also assist in this regard.
Each of the clamp assemblies in Turner includes two elongated, arcuate members having hook-shaped distal ends which engage the support tube grooves. The proximal ends of each member form tabs, which are drawn together by any conventional fastener assembly, such as a thumb screw and a wing nut placed through a hole in each tab. All of the clamps appear to be designed this way and, when the wing nut is tightened, are securely attached to the support tube. This apparatus, particularly the clamp assemblies, are relatively complex in design and function and, in an emergency situation, when the need arises to quickly disassemble the tie-down and the support braces and roll up the canopy, the task will prove difficult and time consuming.
Examples of other related technologies include the devices and awning assemblies disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,263,735; 3,327,724; 4,195,875; 5,094,285; 4,033,397 and 4,719,954.
The improvements embodied in the present invention resolve the many problems associated with the prior art devices. The ability to easily engage the grooves of the support or roller tube and draw the canopy fabric taut without the need for complex adjustments and fastening techniques, such as those involved with the device disclosed in the "332" patent, is a major feature of the present invention. Even more important is the feature that allows the device of the present invention to be easily and quickly disconnected from the roller tube when the need arises without the use of special levers or the need to disengage or loosen fastener assemblies, such as a nut and bolt combination or some similar mechanism. The device of the present invention includes an arcuate main section, which contains a hook element at the distal end and a generally straight proximal end section with an aperture therein. The device is placed over the roller tube in a circumferential fashion and wraps around the tube a distance of approximately 50% of the tube's circumference in the limited area at each end of the tube where it is connected. The hook engages a groove in the roller tube at a point approximately 180.degree. from the place where the proximal end naturally comes to rest. Usually, the top end of the tie-down is attached to the aperture in the proximal end first and then the device is adjusted, if necessary, by extending the hook and then inserting it into the groove having a distinct normal orientation relative to the ground surface. Any slack in the canopy or the tie-down is usually eliminated with this adjustment. Another approach is to first engage the hook in the groove, as described, and then adjust the tie-down tightly to secure the entire assembly.
The moment any attempt is made to roll up the canopy, the hook will quickly drop out of the groove in a gravitational free fall to the ground. This will occur, for example, upon disengaging the tie-down ground anchor or loosening the tie-down in some other manner. Now, unlike the devices of the prior art, neither the device of the present invention nor the tie-down used in conjunction with it will become an impediment to the canopy winding up process.